The blessedness of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /The blessednesse of the righteous discoursed from Psal. 17, 15 /

But further, as the case is, this is so reproachful a thing, even in common estimate, [not to desire Heaven, and Eternal Glory, or to desire it with very cold and careless desires] that there are few will profess it, or own it to be their temper, much fewer that will undertake to excuse, or justify it. 'Tis so evilly thought of, that among merely sober & rational men, it can never find an advocate, or any that will afford it Patronage. The generality pretend ⟨p. 350⟩a desire of going to Heaven, and being with God. If any be so observant of themselves, as to know, and so ingenious, as to confess it, otherwise with them, they complain of it as their fault, and say, they would fain have it redressed, but are far from assuming that confidence to defend, or plead for it. Consider then, wilt thou persist in such a temper and disposition of mind, as all men condemn? and be guilty of so odious a thing, as shall be censured & blamed by the common concurrent vote and judgment of mankind? Thou wouldst be ashamed to stand forth, and profess openly to men, that thou desirest an earthly felicity more then a blessedness in Heaven: or at least, that thou art so indifferent, and the scales hang even with thee, that thou canst hardly tell which way they incline most. And art thou not ashamed that this should be thy usual temper, how much soever thou conceal it from the notice, and observation of the world?

But further, as the case is, this is so reproachful a thing, even in common estimate, [not to desire Heaven, and Eternal Glory, or to desire it with very cold and careless desires] that there are few will profess it, or own it to be their temper, much fewer that will undertake to excuse, or justifie it. 'Tis so evilly thought of, that among meerly sober & rational men, it can never find an advocate, or any that will afford it Patronage. The generality pretend ⟨p. 350⟩a desire of going to Heaven, and being with God. If any be so observant of themselves, as to know, and so ingenious, as to confess it, otherwise with them, they complain of it as their fault, and say, they would fain have it redrest, but are far from assuming that confidence to defend, or plead for it. Consider then, wilt thou persist in such a temper and disposition of mind, as all men condemn? and be guilty of so odious a thing, as shall be censured & blamed by the common concurrent vote and judgment of mankind? Thou would'st be ashamed to stand forth, and profess openly to men, that thou desirest an earthly felicity more then a blessedness in Heaven: or at least, that thou art so indifferent, and the scales hang even with thee, that thou canst hardly tell which way they incline most. And art thou not ashamed that this should be thy usual temper, how much soever thou conceal it from the notice, and observation of the world?